Type of Surgery
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Last updated: 02/17/2009
A pediatrician diagnoses pectus excavatum after observing a child when he or she inhales, exhales, and rests. The pediatrician also calculates the depth of the chest from front to back using x rays of the chest to determine whether the diameter is...
shorter than average, as is the case with funnel chest. The heart is usually larger and displaced to the left. The pediatrician also evaluates lung capacity using exercise tests and lung scans that can reveal mismatched lungs.
Other diagnostic tests may include:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This test records the electrical activity of the heart, and shows abnormal rhythms (arrhythmias or dysrhythmias).
- Echocardiogram (echo). This test evaluates the structure and function of the heart by using sound waves recorded on an electronic sensor that yields a moving picture of the heart and its valves.
Before surgery, a bone density test is performed to ensure that the patient does not have soft bones that would deform again right after the surgery. After a complete health history is taken, a patient whose condition is considered severe enough to warrant surgery is sent for a CT scan and further evaluation of his or her pulmonary function.
Because of the great variablity of pectus excavatum among those who have it, custom-made bars (or braces) must be used. The brace is a light vest to which the deformity-correcting wire will be attached at surgery. Patients are fitted with the brace prior to surgery.
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Pectus excavatum repair, also called "funnel chest repair" or "chest deformity repair," is a type of surgery performed to correct pectus excavatum, a deformity of the front of the chest wall with depression of the breast-bone
The chest consists of the rib cage and sternum, which protect the upper-abdominal cavity and its contents. Pectus excavatum, also called "funnel chest" or "depressed sternum" is a deformity that is usually diagnosed shortly after birth. In some people, it is not visible until they are older. The exact cause is not known, but it is believed to be due to overgrowth of the rib cartilage connected to the sternum, which results in the sternum being pushed backward toward the spine. Most people have no symptoms, but if the breastbone is pushed back far enough, heart and lung function may be affected. The purpose of pectus excavatum repair surgery is to correct the deformity to improve physical appearance, posture, and breathing.
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